This invention relates to a weight lifting apparatus and more particularly to a new and improved apparatus that allows the weight to be adjusted to many different positions over a weight lifter.
It is important for a participant in regular bench press exercise to work out at or near his limit, always attempting to perform more repetitions or adding more weights. It is also important for many different exercises to be performed in different positions.
In bench pressing, a padded bench, which may be horizontal or inclined, is positioned below a weight holding means. The weight holding means holds the weight bar and is lowered to a point slightly less than the outstretched grasp of the weight lifter lying on his back on the bench. To exercise, the lifter grasps the bar, lifts it off the holding means and then raises and lowers it over his chest. This causes an obvious problem when the lifter becomes exhausted--the danger that the lifter will drop the weight onto his chest.
Several prior art devices, for example see U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,930 by Cormier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,425 by Milnar, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,570 to Reis provide some safety when the weight lifter is performing a basic lift. They do not, however, provide safety when many other different type of lifts, for example lifts in a sitting position, are being performed.
Prior art devices support the weight in only one location above the weight lifter, thus making it more difficult to perform lifts other than the basic lift, where the lifter is lying on his back. For example prior art devices do not support the weight in a position that allows calf lifts. Prior art devices also limit the exercise to lifting weights, and do not provide the ability to perform other exercises, such as chin-ups.
Prior art devices allow part of the padded bench of the apparatus to be inclined upward to allow some exercises from a sitting position. These devices, however, do not incline the seat portion of the padded bench, thus the lifter must also keep from sliding off the bench while performing the exercise. This takes some of the lifter's attention away from the exercise, thus increasing the risk of dropping the weight.
It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for an improved method or apparatus which allows the weight to be supported over the lifter in various positions, while still providing a safety mechanism to support the weight in the event that it is dropped. There is also a need in the art for an apparatus that will assist the lifter in performing other types of lifts, such as calf lifts, rows, leg curls and other exercises, such as chin-ups. There is a further need in the art for such an apparatus that allows the padded bench to be inclined to provide both an inclined seat and an inclined back support.